A Civil War Retrospect from Altissimo! September 23 2009, 0 Comments

A CIVIL WAR RETROSPECT FROM ALTISSIMO

11th Gettysburg Music Muster Sounds of the Civil War at National Military Park
27 August 2005
Performances by authentic Civil War musicians filled the air on Saturday, August 27, 2005 , at Gettysburg National Military Park during the ELEVENTH annual Gettysburg Music Muster. The concerts were one-of-a -kind performances, played mostly on original instruments, and featured songs of the Irish Union soldiers, balladeers, Victorian dance music and dance performances, along with fife and drum, and more Music Muster performances began at the park's Cyclorama Center outdoor stage with performances by The Federal l City Brass.
Returning for the third year were *Jan Villenueva and *Mark Elrod who founded and the Federal City Brass in2002. The sound and appearance of a traditional 1860's regimental band are recreated with music of the civil war
The band plays primarily transcriptions and arrangements in quintet format, closely based on original scores from band journals, published music collections and sheet music of the period.
The band, based in Baltimore, is comprised of professional and volunteer musicians, music educators, historians and re-enactors. The Federal City Brass is one of fourteen Civil War bands from across the country that were selected to participate in the National Civil War Band Festival in2003.
The Susquehanna Travellers are composed of four members playing the guitar, banjo, recorder and violin. They play music of the Civil War, concentrating on Irish and Military Songs.
Music Americana is a-12-pieceorchestra specializing in period music from the mid-19th century. The repertoire of this dedicated group included old favourites as well as many lesser-known but beautiful waltzes, inspiring marches, lively reels and polkas. Instrumentation includes flutes, violins, clarinets cornets, and percussion. All Music Americana members dress in the style of the Civil War. Based in Harford County, Music Americana has performed in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The 77th New York Balladeers took center stage at the Cyclorama, lead by cofounder John C. Quinn. Quinn along with the Balladeers whom are dedicated to preserving the songs, history and spirit of the 1860s they use the original Civil War music arrangements and lyrics to convey the thoughts, motives, and sorrows of the men and women who lived during one of the most defining periods of our American heritage. The songs are sung as they would have been performed in camp or the family parlour in the 1860s.
Another great Civil re-enactment band is the 5th Michigan Regimental Brass Band from Novi, Michigan, consisting of 28 members. Today's 5th Michigan Regimental band is a historical recreation of the 1861 Band of the 5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry. The Band's musical repertoire includes popular marches, polkas, schottisches and waltzes that were played around the 1860s for parades, military balls, and musters on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. The band director, Lieutenant Colonel Guy Smith, meticulously transcribed much of the music using material from the National Archives and original sheet music. The music is performed on period antique and replica Saxhorns and wood drums. The band wears copies of the wool uniforms worn by the 5th Michigan soldiers during the Civil War. Traveling with the band is a colour guard and ladies in Civil War period attire.
*Jan Villenueva is the music historian who researched and discovered the history of TAPS and has written a book on the subject.
*Mark Elrod is the co-author of Civil war era Musical Instruments and military bands and is a world authority on civil war music and bands.
From the pages and files of the Frederick News Post 25 August 2005
We hope to list all Civil war re-enactment groups in our pages shortly . Write a blog and tell us about your activities.